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The United States has condemned the deadly July 27 attack on a village in Kaduna State that reportedly claimed at least 30 lives, including children, while urging President Bola Tinubu’s administration to intensify efforts to halt the wave of violence affecting Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
In a statement posted on X, the US Bureau of African Affairs described the attack as another tragic episode in the region’s prolonged security crisis and extended condolences to the victims’ families.
“The United States condemns the early morning July 27 attack on a village in Nigeria’s Kaduna State that reportedly killed at least 30 people, including children,” the bureau said.
It added, “We express our deepest condolences to the loved ones of the deceased. We will continue to urge the Government of Nigeria to address rampant violence against Christians in the Middle Belt.”
Echoing the bureau’s position, US Representative Riley Moore described reports from Nigeria’s Middle Belt as “terrible” and called on the Federal Government to strengthen security operations in the troubled region despite recent gains recorded in northern Nigeria through bilateral security cooperation.
“President Tinubu must do more to address the violence in the Middle Belt, including securing the safe return of this seminarian,” Moore wrote on X, referring to Seminarian Kelvin Ochai, who was abducted in Benue State. The US lawmaker did not provide further details regarding the circumstances surrounding the seminarian’s kidnapping.
The latest attack adds to a growing list of deadly incidents across Kaduna and other Middle Belt states, where communities have continued to face bandit attacks, kidnappings and communal violence. The region, situated between Nigeria’s predominantly Muslim North and Christian South, has remained one of the country’s most volatile security flashpoints.
Last year, Nigeria and the United States activated a security cooperation framework focused on intelligence sharing, military training and counter-terrorism operations. US officials have frequently cited the partnership as contributing to gains against insurgents in the North-East.
However, Washington and several international rights organisations have continued to express concern over persistent attacks on farming communities, villages and places of worship across the Middle Belt, despite ongoing security interventions.
The Bureau of African Affairs said its latest statement underscores the United States’ continued concern over civilian protection and renewed calls for stronger measures to curb violence and safeguard vulnerable communities across the region.
